The UN urges world to ‘fight climate change like coronavirus’

The UN’s World Meteorological Organisation said it was time to flatten the curve on climate change as well, with its impact on the planet “reaching a crescendo” in the past five years.

The past five years were the hottest on record. The trend is expected to continue as it marked Earth Day; this year’s celebration comes 50 years since the first Earth Day in 1970.

United on Earth Day

Carbon dioxide levels at one key global observing station are about 26% higher than in 1970, whilst the average global temperature has increased by 0.86 degrees Celsius since then, the WMO said.

Temperatures are also 1.1 degrees Celsius warmer than the pre-industrial era, it added. The UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, said:

“On this Earth Day, please join me in demanding a healthy and resilient future for people and planet alike.”

Socioeconomic impact of climate change

The agency said the COVID-19 crisis was exacerbating the socioeconomic impacts of climate change – for example making it harder to evacuate people and keep them safe from tropical cyclones.

The WMO said the coronavirus crisis “may result in a temporary reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, but it is not a substitute for sustained climate action.

“And it will make it more difficult to tackle weather, climate and water-related hazards which are becoming more acute because of climate change.”

A threat to humans, ecosystems and economies

WMO secretary-general Petteri Taalas said that extreme weather events had increased, and would not go away due to the new coronavirus pandemic.

He said failure to tackle climate change could threaten human well-being, ecosystems and economies “for centuries” to come.  

“We need to flatten both the pandemic and climate change curves. We need to show the same determination and unity against climate change as against COVID-19,” calling for action not only in the short-term “but for many generations ahead”. 

Reduction in key pollutants

Global Atmosphere Watch stations have recorded a reduction in key pollutants and improvements in air quality as a result of the industrial downturn during the pandemic.

However, with carbon dioxide concentrations at key reporting stations remaining at record levels, the WMO said it was important that any post-coronavirus recovery stimulus packages help the economy to grow back in a greener way.

“Previous economic crises have often been followed by ‘recovery’ associated with much higher emission growth than before the crisis,” the organisation noted.

© Agence France-Presse